Strange turn in saga of ex-ND recruit

March 17, 2009|JAKE BROWN Tribune Staff Writer

The saga associated with the recruitment of standout defenseman Cam Fowler took a strange turn over the weekend.

Two Canadian major-junior clubs in the Ontario Hockey League are weighing their legal options against Notre Dame and head hockey coach Jeff Jackson after comments he made in FridayÂ?s Kitchener-Waterloo Record, according to a Windsor Star report.

The issue at hand is whether the Windsor Spitfires or the Kitchener Rangers, which originally held FowlerÂ?s OHL rights, offered money to Fowler and his family as a way to entice him to play in the OHL.

Fowler, who gave Notre Dame a verbal commitment at age 14 and signed a national letter-of-intent in the fall, decided to play with Windsor next season rather than Notre Dame.

Jackson asserted in the Record that CamÂ?s father, Perry, told him a money offer had occurred.

Â?Mr. Fowler told me himself that Kitchener put together like a $500,000 package for him,Â? Jackson told the Record

Jackson is also sure the Spitfires made a Â?healthyÂ? offer to land Cam FowlerÂ?s services, according to the Record.

Notre Dame team spokesperson Tim Connor said Sunday Jackson will not comment further on the matter.

Both Canadian clubs and Perry Fowler have denied the allegations.

Perry Fowler did confirm there was a rumor floating around in hockey circles that Kitchener had offered money, but stressed it was a rumor the family had heard and they Â?just kind of laughed about it.Â?

He also said heÂ?d like to believe that Jackson had just heard those rumors and been misquoted.

Â?ThatÂ?s not true, just totally not true,Â? Perry Fowler said of JacksonÂ?s comments in a phone interview Sunday. Â?I never said anything like that Â? ThatÂ?s just wrong. Again, IÂ?d like to give him the benefit of the doubt and maybe he had heard the same rumors we had heard, which are unfounded.Â?

Perry Fowler said he had left a voicemail with Jackson that had yet to be returned as of Sunday afternoon.

Kitchener selected Cam Fowler, who is billed as one of the top prospects in the 2010 NHL draft class, in the first round of the 2007 OHL draft.

Rather than report to training camp, Fowler opted to fulfill his commitment to the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Once Fowler made his decision to play with the USNTDP, Kitchener put him back in the draft in order to receive a compensatory pick.

The Windsor Spitfires then selected him in the first round of the 2008 draft.

After Windsor drafted him, Fowler, who was born in Windsor but grew up in Michigan, went back-and-forth between Notre Dame and his hometown club.

Fowler decided to play in Windsor over the Christmas holiday and the Spitfires announced his decision in a press release on Feb. 23.

Â?As soon as the decision was made I made a call to coach Jackson and (assistant) coach (Andy) Slaggert,Â? Cam Fowler said in a phone interview that day. Â?They were completely understanding ... The coaches were completely supportive of me.Â?

Perry Fowler also said the relationship between Jackson and the family had been good.

Spitfires president and head coach Bob Boughner has denied any wrongdoing during Cam FowlerÂ?s decision-making process.

Â?To throw allegations out like that is irresponsible,Â? Boughner told the Windsor Star. Â?I think itÂ?s sour grapes on (JacksonÂ?s) part and I would expect more from a program that is supposed to be as storied as Notre Dame.Â?

Kitchener chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski characterized JacksonÂ?s comments as Â?libelousÂ? in a team press release. The same Kitchener press release said the team Â?has held initial discussions with its legal advisorsÂ? and that litigation may follow.

Boughner told the Windsor Star he hoped to meet with Kitchener officials to discuss what options the clubs may have legally.